County Approves 2013 Budget Without Tax Increase

CLEARFIELD – The Clearfield County Commissioners voted to finalize its 2013 general fund budget, keeping property taxes at 18.5 mills at Tuesday’s regular board meeting. The county hasn’t raised property taxes since 2006.

The general fund budget anticipates total revenues and expenditures in the amount of $21,101,651. The county currently has more than $5 million in its general fund balance, which it didn’t have to use to balance the upcoming-year’s budget, according to a previous GantDaily.com report.

“This year, it is a zero budget. This budget does balance. It balances to the penny,” said Commissioner Joan Robinson-McMillen.

According to her, the budget allows for the county’s contracts. On Nov. 27, she said its contracts had all been settled with the exception of one with the Clearfield County Jail.

“I believe this is a fair budget. It doesn’t make too many cuts and allows for some increases,” said Robinson-McMillen.

She said that Children, Youth and Family Services posed the greatest challenge for the county. In 2012, the county allocated $6,077,538 to its CYFS. In the upcoming-year, the county anticipates allocating $6,996,331 to CYFS, which is an increase of $918,793.

“When you’re trying to find [$918,793] and not trying to increase someone’s taxes, it does become a challenge. And, we did that. I’m pleased to present this budget to the residents of Clearfield County,” said Robinson-McMillen.

When asked after the Nov. 27 meeting, she said the county had received $1.145 million from the state’s Public Utility Commission for the Marcellus Shale impact fee. The county has allocated $300,000 to Clearfield County Emergency Management; $260,000 to CYFS/Safety; $100,000 to courts/safety and $85,000 to Airport/GIS.

She said the commissioners have placed slightly more than $400,000 from its impact fee allocation into a contingency fund. This funding will be available to all Clearfield County municipalities and awarded competitively at the commissioners’ discretion. For example, she said one use could be for the repair of deficient bridges.